Two-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong broke a vertebrae in his neck when he collided with a car last month but still plans to race at the Sydney Olympics.
The injury, which caused Armstrong to drop out of two races in Europe next weekend, was detected Monday after he had an MRI at a clinic in Monaco. X-rays taken after the Aug. 29 accident and again Saturday were negative.
Armstrong, 28, is scheduled to compete in the Olympic road race on Sept. 27, and the individual time trial, where he is among the favorites, three days later.
– Vince Carter and Ray Allen supplied highlight-reel dunks in the Americans’ 95-66 victory over Japan in a basketball exhibition game in Saitama, Japan. Carter, Allen, Gary Payton and Allan Houston led the U.S. team with 10 points apiece. Every American player scored at least four points.
– Natalie Williams had 21 points and nine rebounds as the U.S. women’s basketball team beat France 75-59 in Adelaide, Australia. The Americans played just six hours after arriving from Honolulu, 5,500 miles away.
– Swimmer Jenny Thompson hurt her right thumb and cut short a training session at the Olympic Aquatic Center.
She said the injury didn’t threaten her attempt to win individual gold for the first time. Thompson already has five gold medals and one silver in relay events.
– Hammer thrower Robin Lyons has been dropped from Canada’s Olympic team after she tested positive for anabolic steroids.
